Vets 4 Energy Feedhttp://www.vets4energy.com/
Vets 4 Energy Feed1542656355en-usDear Mr. President: Protect Consumers From E15's Potential Harmshttp://www.vets4energy.com/article/dear-mr--president-protect-consumers-from-e15s-potential-harms-v2
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/dear-mr--president-protect-consumers-from-e15s-potential-harms-v2Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400With recent reports indicating that the EPA is moving to facilitate the year-round sale of E15 gasoline – which studies have shown could put consumers at risk – API and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) this week wrote a letter to President Trump urging the administration not to take actions that could negatively impact refiners.

Specifically, EPA is preparing an extension to the one-pound Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver to E15 fuel, coupled with potentially problematic changes to Renewable Identification Number (RIN) market trading. In their letter to the White House, API President and CEO Mike Sommers and AFPM President Chet Thompson write that they oppose the RVP extension and instead encourage “meaningful reform” to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), whose ethanol mandates could affect U.S. consumers. From the letter:

Such an approach is insufficient for refiners and inconsistent with your long-standing commitment to finding a solution that meets the needs of both the biofuels and refining industries. We urge you to not move forward. Meaningful reforms to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are integral in any discussion about E15. Without corresponding reductions of mandated biofuel volumes, more E15 could be forced into the market, increasing the risk of consumer misfuelling.

Let’s take a moment to remember why pushing more high ethanol-volume fuel into the nation’s fuel supply could harm consumers:

Without corresponding reductions of mandated biofuel volumes, more E15 could be forced into the market, increasing the risk of consumer misfuelling.

Some automakers are producing model-year 2018 cars and trucks that aren’t designed to use E15, including BMW, Mazda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Volvo.

As the API-AFPM letter states, any discussion of E15 must occur in the context of significantly reforming the RFS. The administration’s push to facilitate year-round E15 sales doesn’t fit with the administration’s commitment to find RFS solutions that address the concerns of refiners and the biofuels industry.

The RFS discussion has been long and sometimes complicated. As the letter indicates, real progress on the issue depends on consensus reforms that work for the refining sector, biofuels producers and farmers and that protect consumers.

]]>EPA Says Ethanol Damages The Environment - Isn't It Time To Kill The Program?http://www.vets4energy.com/article/epa-says-ethanol-damages-the-environment---isnt-it-time-to-kill-the-program
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/epa-says-ethanol-damages-the-environment---isnt-it-time-to-kill-the-programFri, 10 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0400Energy: Amid all the media hoo-ha over President Trump's latest tweets, tariffs and the Russia investigation, you might have missed a significant report — the Environmental Protection Agency says ethanol made from corn and soybeans and added to our gasoline has become an environmental disaster. So why do we continue to make it?

The devastating report — based on, yes, actual "science" — shows that the forced addition of ethanol to the nation's gasoline is making our air dirtier.

The irony, of course, is that ethanol's entire rationale is that it would make our air cleaner.

Why do we keep doing this? The farm-based ethanol lobby not only wants current standards of up to 10% of our fuel made up of ethanol (the "E10" standard), but would like to see it rise to 15% (E15). And, unfortunately, President Trump seems open to the idea.

Is ethanol really that bad? Well, never mind that there's a significant amount of evidence that it's bad for your car, boat or motorcycle engine. That's bad enough.

But the damage isn't just from using the ethanol in our fuel; it's in the entire process involved in radically altering our agricultural sector from growing food to growing an energy supplement.

The increase in ethanol has been significant. In 2008, the U.S. produced roughly 10 billion gallons of ethanol; by 2016, that amount had grown to 16.6 billion barrels, a 67% rise.

One of the most unexpected developments of the ethanol experiment is the loss of millions of acres of natural habitat to grow corn and soybeans, not for the dinner table but for the gas-station pump.

]]>Shale Gas Revolution Is Just Getting Startedhttp://www.vets4energy.com/article/shale-gas-revolution-is-just-getting-started
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/shale-gas-revolution-is-just-getting-startedSat, 07 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400The shale gas revolution is turning ten years old and is apparently only just getting started.

A new report by the business information provider IHS Markit traces the remarkable rise of the shale gas in the United States over the past decade and projects that natural gas production will grow by another 60% over the next 20 years.

“To say that the ‘Shale Gale’. . . has been anything but a veritable revolution would be an understatement,” said Daniel Yergin, vice chairman, IHS Markit and co-author of the report. “It represents a dramatic and largely unanticipated turnaround that dramatically changed both markets and long-term thinking about energy.”

Shale gas has fundamentally altered the domestic energy landscape. The Northeast has replaced the Gulf Coast as the largest gas producing region in the United States. Pennsylvania and New York, which traditionally imported most of their energy, are becoming energy exporters.

IHS’s report considers the implications the ongoing shale gas boom will have for the U.S. economy and global energy markets.

Natural gas production in the United States rose by more than 40% between 2007 and 2017, pushing natural gas prices down by more than two thirds during the same period...

Over the next few months, voters from all walks of life will be peppered with various policy proposals from candidates seeking elected office. No doubt much of the focus will center on the state of the nation’s health care system, the economy, taxes and immigration policy, but I think there’s a key issue that unfortunately isn’t getting the attention I believe it should: energy.

America is the world’s leading energy producer in natural gas and soon to become No. 1 in oil. Through recent technological advances, we’ve cut our oil imports by half — from 53 percent to 23 percent since 2010. Current government projections estimate that our domestic natural gas production will be able to supply up to 60 percent of U.S. energy demands for decades. The more resources we have available, the lower our energy costs ultimately will be.

But there’s something else to consider with your vote — as we decrease our dependence on foreign oil, particularly from volatile regimes, we also lessen the need for American troop-led intervention. For all the reasons America has gotten involved in foreign conflicts, energy was always in the mix. And as we enter the 15th year of our longest-ever war....

]]>Energy a key election issuehttp://www.vets4energy.com/article/energy-a-key-election-issue-v2-v2
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/energy-a-key-election-issue-v2-v2Fri, 01 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400As Memorial weekend came to an end I began thinking about how America has paid a heavy price to be independent. Since our country’s founding, our armed forces have sacrificed much for our freedoms and quality of life. Most of us take it for granted. Our economy and military might insulate the country from many of the problems that affect other nations who don’t have our resources. But we are not insulated from everything.

Our energy appetite makes us vulnerable. And our dependence on foreign sources of energy keeps the threat of war on our doorstep – and energy has in some part played a role in our recent wars in the Mideast.

As North Dakotans we understand the value of energy, we produce oil and natural gas, but we also produce vast amounts of coal and have established a significant alternative energy industry. That’s why I think it’s important that we elect candidates who support energy policies that will lead America to self-sufficiency and free us from importing energy from countries that don’t share our values or best interests.

North Dakota is rich in safe, reliable energy resources which have made us a world leader in energy production. Problem solved? However, there are those in our country who seek to halt domestic energy production and the development of its infrastructure.

]]>Offshore Drilling Can Peacefully Co-Exist with Military Operationshttp://www.vets4energy.com/article/offshore-drilling-can-peacefully-co-exist-with-military-operations-v2
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/offshore-drilling-can-peacefully-co-exist-with-military-operations-v2Tue, 29 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400By Mark Alvarez, a retired U.S. Army veteran and a member of Vets4Energy Florida.

Unfortunately, fear-mongering continues to be evident, and the latest case is news coverage surrounding a recent report released by the Pentagon. Some news articles may lead you to believe that the report indicates resistance from the Department of Defense (DOD) against drilling; however when one actually reads the report, it is evident the DOD is ready and willing to collaborate with the oil and natural gas industry so long as offshore exploration does not interfere with military operations.

This should be viewed as a positive step forward for the industry and a reaffirmed commitment that energy production and military training can peacefully co-exist. Safe seismic testing and offshore energy exploration continues to be one of the best ways to keep our nation secure while fulfilling our American citizens’ energy needs, all the while strengthening our economy.

It is undeniable that our country relies on energy. Nearly every moment of every day, from alarm clocks waking us up in the morning and washing our clothes, to driving to work and charging our cell phones. Energy also helps fuel important industries such as medicine, manufacturing, agriculture and even the arts. Despite our ever-increasing energy needs, our country continues to rely on foreign countries for our oil and natural gas supply.

As a veteran of war, I can tell you that America will never be entirely secure unless...

]]>Russian trolls infiltrate the pipeline debatehttp://www.vets4energy.com/article/russian-trolls-infiltrate-the-pipeline-debate
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/russian-trolls-infiltrate-the-pipeline-debateFri, 04 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400A few years ago Matt Damon made a movie critical of fracking, which just happened to be funded by a state media company owned by Abu Dhabi — an OPEC member and one of the world’s primary oil exporters. Abu Dhabi would have gained much from the curtailment of fracking in the U.S.

Now Russian trolls are getting in on the act. McClatchy recently reported that the same Russian cyber-manipulation campaign that interfered with the U.S. election in 2016 had a “hidden hand” in Florida protests against a natural gas pipeline called Saban Trail. As they did in the election meddling, Russian trolls created fake accounts, deployed bots, and used other methods to amplify discord.

“The social media propaganda,” McClatchy writes, “was part of a broad Kremlin campaign to disrupt the booming American energy industry..."

Chinese general and military strategist Sun Tzu wrote in his famous tract The Art of War, "every battle is won before it is ever fought."

Sun Tzu understood what successful military commanders have understood throughout the ages: the battle is won in the preparation. During my over 30-year tenure in the Navy, we knew that if we weren't already prepared for the battle well in advance, it would be too late when the time for action arrived.

The same philosophy applies to America's approach to energy development and energy security.

Offshore natural gas and oil development is a critical component of future U.S. energy security. Only 6 percent of U.S. offshore acreage is open to energy development, and that small area punches above its weight - with the Gulf of Mexico supplying 18 percent of our oil production, 1.6 million barrels per day.

That's why the Trump administration's plan to open more of the restricted 94 percent - including promising areas in the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Eastern Gulf of Mexico - is so important. Last week's Gulf lease sale for areas close to current production has received a lot of media attention, but it doesn't tell us much about opportunities in the vast underexplored portions of offshore territory.

The most current assessments of recoverable energy resources offshore in the Atlantic estimated 4.7 billion barrels of oil and 37.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. However, those were based off of seismic surveys conducted over 30 years ago with the technology of that time. To give you an idea of how much technology has improved, let's take a quick look at the Gulf of Mexico. In 1987 the experts estimated only 9.57 billion barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2011, using more recent seismic data and exploratory drilling, that estimate rose to 48 billion barrels of oil - a fivefold increase. And it should be noted that even the Obama administration's Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management after extensive studies concluded recent methods of seismic testing do not harm the marine environment. Additionally current and safe technology will permit extracting natural gas and oil in a manner which could not be seen from our coastal beaches.This isn't the time to be on the sidelines. This is the time to prepare to take advantage of these incredible offshore energy opportunities to help ensure America's energy security for years to come.

Veterans also know something else: you can't be ruled by fear. In this case, that's the fear proffered by some who say we can't or shouldn't take advantage of our American stores of energy. While they are right that we should be exploring renewable sources of energy, the reality is that those forms of energy aren't ready to power our nation and our economy yet.

America's ascension to a global energy superpower through taking advantage of our natural gas and oil resources is a modern miracle. We can't and shouldn't put our energy security on hold while we wait for the renewable energy future to arrive.

We must live in the now and prepare for the future. We must win this battle before it's fought. And that means seizing the opportunity for increased energy security offshore.

# # #

]]>The New Science of Smoghttp://www.vets4energy.com/article/the-new-science-of-smog
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/the-new-science-of-smogSun, 08 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400Liberals are claiming that the Trump Administration’s plans to roll back the Obama fuel-mileage rules will increase pollution. Perhaps they should read up on the latest scientific evidence about the sources of air pollution.

A recent study in the journal Science traced and measured volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Los Angeles. In the presence of sunlight, these compounds react with NOx to form ozone and smog. Car exhaust was once a greater relative contributor of VOCs and NOx, but engines are now much cleaner.

Researchers at the University of Colorado found that petroleum-based chemicals such as those found in deodorant, soap, hair spray, household cleaners, pesticides and other commercial products account for about half of VOCs emissions in industrial cities. Gasoline fuel and exhaust make up about 32%.

Environmentalists have long blamed L.A.’s car-driving culture for its smog. But even if most gas-burning vehicles were replaced by electric cars, L.A. would still have a smog problem because...

]]>Editorial: A pipeline lesson for Virginia, courtesy of Massachusettshttp://www.vets4energy.com/article/a-pipeline-lesson-for-virginia-courtesy-of-massachusetts-v2
http://www.vets4energy.com/article/a-pipeline-lesson-for-virginia-courtesy-of-massachusetts-v2Mon, 26 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0400“To build the new $27 billion gas export plant on the Arctic Ocean that now keeps the lights on in Massachusetts, Russian firms bored wells into fragile permafrost; blasted a new international airport into a pristine landscape of reindeer, polar bears, and walrus; dredged the spawning grounds of the endangered Siberian sturgeon in the Gulf of Ob to accommodate large ships; and commissioned a fleet of 1,000-foot icebreaking tankers likely to kill seals and disrupt whale habitat as they shuttle cargoes of super-cooled gas bound for Asia, Europe, and Everett.”

That searing indictment comes from The Boston Globe, a newspaper no one ever would mistake for a conservative institution, even in dim light. The February jeremiad continued in a similar vein for nearly another 2,000 words, but its point was simple and clear: The narrow and parochial focus of environmentalists opposed to building natural-gas pipelines in New England led directly to the importation of liquefied natural gas from Russian interests that are ripping up pristine wilderness to get at it.

Three years ago Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker proposed a three-pronged energy policy: 1,200 megawatts of renewable energy, 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind, and an expansion of natural gas capacity. Environmentalists liked the first two but fought the third prong tooth and nail. They won, in both Massachusetts and New York, and several pipeline proposals have since been shelved.

The argument against pipelines holds that states should rely on green-energy supplies instead. That sounds swell, except that solar and wind power cannot provide baseload generation — i.e., the energy needed when the sun sets and the wind dies down.

Something needs to back those sources up — especially on bitterly cold New England nights, which is when prices for natural gas spiked and Russian tankers began pulling into port here in the U.S. The LNG they brought comes from a natural gas plant on the Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic Circle. One of the companies behind the plant is Novatek, upon whose board sits Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko. According to Reuters, he is a member of Vladimir Putin’s “inner circle.” Right-wing populist Donald Trump might or might not have colluded with the Russians. But liberal Massachusetts effectively has.

Adding to the irony: LNG is more carbon-intensive than natural gas shipped through pipelines...